Surah Al-Jumu'ah

Surah Al-Jumu'ah is the 62nd surah of the Quran. It is a short Madani surah which presents the Prophet (ﷺ) and his mission, warns against knowledge without action, and gives the command of the Friday prayer.

Why is it called Al-Jumu'ah?

Ayah 9 says: when the call is made for the prayer on the day of «الْجُمُعَة», hasten to the remembrance of Allah and leave trade. The surah is named after the Friday prayer, whose command is its most important ruling. The word comes from «جَمْع», to gather: the Muslims gather on this day for the prayer.

Occasion of revelation

Hazrat Jabir (RA) reports: the Prophet (ﷺ) was delivering the Friday sermon standing when a trade caravan arrived from Syria. The people turned to it, so that only twelve men were left with him, and Allah revealed 62:11 (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim). The second ruku came on this event; the first ruku speaks of the Prophet's mission and the people of the Book.

Central theme and main topics

The central theme is the Prophet's (ﷺ) mission and the duty to act on revealed knowledge, which comes to its practical form in the Friday prayer: the community gathers to remember Allah and puts His call before trade.

• The four duties of the Prophet (ﷺ) (62:2)
• The example of the donkey carrying books (62:5)
• The challenge to wish for death and the certainty of death (62:6 to 8)
• The Friday prayer: the call, leaving trade, seeking bounty afterwards (62:9 to 10)
• The caravan incident and its lesson (62:11)

No separate hadith on the virtue of reciting this surah alone is firmly established, but authentic hadith give the virtue of the Friday, which the surah names, and the practice of the Prophet (ﷺ) in reciting it.

• The Prophet (ﷺ) said: the best day on which the sun rises is Friday; on it Adam (AS) was created, on it he was admitted to Paradise, and on it he was sent out of it (Sahih Muslim, from Hazrat Abu Hurairah (RA)).
• There is an hour on Friday in which a Muslim who stands praying and asks Allah for something good will be given it (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim).
• The Prophet (ﷺ) recited Surah Al-Jumu'ah in the first rak'ah and Surah Al-Munafiqun in the second rak'ah of the Friday prayer (Sahih Muslim, from Hazrat Abdullah bin Abbas and Hazrat Abu Hurairah (RA)).
• The Prophet (ﷺ) warned that people must stop neglecting the Friday prayers, or Allah will seal their hearts and they will be among the heedless (Sahih Muslim).

Allah says that He sent among the unlettered («الْأُمِّيِّيْنَ», the Arabs who had no revealed book) a Messenger from among themselves, whose duties are four:

• They had been in clear error before this (62:2).
• The mission is also for others of them who have not yet joined them (62:3): later generations of Muslims and all who come after. Hazrat Abu Hurairah (RA) reports that the Prophet (ﷺ) put his hand on Hazrat Salman Farsi (RA) when this ayah was recited and said that even if faith were at the Pleiades, men from among his people would reach it (Sahih Bukhari).
• This is Allah's bounty which He gives to whom He wills (62:4).

1. Those who were given the Torah to carry («حُمِّلُوا التَّوْرَاةَ») and then did not carry it, that is, did not act on it, are like a donkey that carries volumes of books («أَسْفَارًا»).
2. The donkey carries the load but gets no benefit from what is in the books; so is the person who has knowledge and does not act.
3. Worse is the example of those who deny Allah's signs, and Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.

The example is first about the Jews who did not follow the Torah, including its good news of the final Prophet (ﷺ), but it is a warning for every people who have the Book and leave action on it, including Muslims who recite the Quran and do not act on it.

1. The Jews claimed that they alone were the friends («أَوْلِيَاءُ») of Allah, to the exclusion of other people.
2. Allah told the Prophet (ﷺ) to challenge them: wish for death if you are truthful (62:6). A friend of Allah would long to meet Him.
3. They will never wish for it because of what their hands have sent ahead, their misdeeds; Allah knows the wrongdoers (62:7).
4. The death from which they flee will certainly meet them; then they will be returned to the Knower of the unseen and the witnessed, who will tell them what they used to do (62:8). The word «تُرَدُّوْنَ» (you will be returned) is in the 80-list.

The rulings of the ayat

1. The call: when the adhan is called for the Friday prayer, the believers must go to the remembrance of Allah (62:9). The «سَعْي» (hasten) means to go with earnest effort, not to run; the Prophet (ﷺ) said that one should come to prayer with calm and dignity and not run (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim).
2. Leave trade: «ذَرُوا الْبَيْعَ», leave buying and selling. The scholars say that trade and every occupation which keeps a person from the prayer is forbidden at the time of the Friday call; this is better for you, if you know (62:9).
3. After the prayer: when the prayer is finished, disperse in the land and seek Allah's bounty (62:10). This is a permission to resume lawful earning, not a command.
4. Remember Allah much, so that you may succeed («لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُوْنَ») (62:10): business must not make a person forget Allah.

Etiquette of Friday (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim)

• Ghusl: the Prophet (ﷺ) emphasised that a person who comes to the Friday prayer should bathe (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, from Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar (RA)); Hazrat Salman Farsi (RA) adds cleaning oneself, using oil and perfume (Sahih Bukhari).
• Coming early: whoever bathes on Friday and goes in the first hour is like one who offered a camel, then a cow, then a ram, then a hen, then an egg in the following hours; when the imam comes out, the angels attend to listen to the remembrance (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, from Hazrat Abu Hurairah (RA)).
• Listening silently to the khutbah: if you tell your companion to be quiet while the imam is delivering the sermon, you have engaged in idle talk (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, from Hazrat Abu Hurairah (RA)).
• Reward: whoever performs wudu well, comes to the Friday prayer, listens and keeps silent is forgiven for what is between that Friday and the next and three more days; whoever touches the pebbles has done something idle (Sahih Muslim).
• The Prophet (ﷺ) delivered the khutbah standing, sat for a moment and stood again (Sahih Muslim, from Hazrat Jabir bin Samurah (RA)).
• In the time of the Prophet (ﷺ), Hazrat Abu Bakr and Hazrat Umar (RA) the adhan was called when the imam sat on the pulpit; Hazrat Uthman (RA) added another call before it because the people had increased (Sahih Bukhari, from Hazrat Sa'ib bin Yazid (RA)).

1. While the Prophet (ﷺ) was delivering the Friday sermon, a trade caravan came from Syria (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, from Hazrat Jabir (RA)).
2. The people hurried to it and left the Prophet (ﷺ) standing; only twelve men remained. Some reports add that the caravan arrived with the sound of a drum.
3. Allah revealed 62:11: when they saw a trade or a diversion they rushed to it and left you standing. Say: what is with Allah is better than diversion and trade, and Allah is the best of providers.

Lessons

• The Companions were taught by this incident that the remembrance of Allah and the Friday gathering come before trade and entertainment.
• Allah is the real Provider; the worship of Allah does not reduce one's provision.
• A khutbah is not to be left while it is being delivered; it must be attended and heard with respect.

Ruku 1 (ayat 1 to 8): everything glorifies Allah, the Sovereign, the Pure (62:1); Allah sent the Messenger (ﷺ) with four duties (62:2); his mission is for later generations too (62:3 to 4); the example of the donkey carrying books (62:5); the challenge to wish for death (62:6 to 8).

Teachings

• Follow the Messenger (ﷺ): he recites, purifies and teaches.
• Act on your knowledge.
• Death is certain; prepare for the meeting with Allah.

Ruku 2 (ayat 9 to 11): the command to go to the Friday prayer and leave trade (62:9); to disperse and seek Allah's bounty after it and remember Allah much (62:10); and the rebuke for leaving the Prophet (ﷺ) standing for trade or diversion (62:11).

Teachings

• Put the call of Allah before trade.
• Lawful earning is encouraged after the prayer.
• Allah is the best of providers.

• Al-Jumu'ah is the 62nd surah, Madani, 11 ayat, 2 rukus, para 28.
• The name comes from the Friday prayer in 62:9.
• It is one of the musabbihat (begins with «يُسَبِّحُ»).
• 62:2: the four duties of the Prophet (ﷺ): recite the ayat, purify, teach the Book, teach wisdom.
• 62:3: his mission is also for others who have not yet joined them.
• 62:5: the example of a donkey carrying books («أَسْفَارًا») for those who did not act on the Torah.
• 62:6: challenge to the Jews to wish for death if they claim to be Allah's friends.
• 62:8: death will surely meet them, then they will be returned to the Knower of the unseen and the witnessed.
• 62:9: when the call for Friday prayer is made, hasten to the remembrance of Allah and leave trade.
• 62:10: after the prayer disperse in the land and seek Allah's bounty and remember Allah much.
• 62:11: the incident of the caravan from Syria; only twelve men remained with the Prophet (ﷺ) (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim).
• The Prophet (ﷺ) recited Al-Jumu'ah and Al-Munafiqun in the Friday prayer (Sahih Muslim).
• The 80-list words: «يُسَبِّحُ» (glorifies), «بَعَثَ» (He sent), «تُرَدُّوْنَ» (you will be returned).